Technological and medical advances mean it's not just the fittest who get to pass on genes.

World travel has helped homogenize the gene pool. While small gene pools can evolve quickly, a global pool prevents evolutionary change.

On average, men have had babies at a younger age recently. The gene copies of younger fathers are less likely to contain mutations.

As you can imagine the end of evolution could bring wide, albeit delayed, consequences. Gorillas and chimps could catch up to us (we'd probably have to let them out of the zoos), and medical science won't get any help from nature in cutting down the number of diseases to combat. Perhaps technology will help humans take stalled evolution into our own hands, by letting us choose the genes we like.

I wouldn't say we've stopped evolving completely.
And I agree with a few of you, there are plenty of nasty bacteria and viruses in this world waiting to take us out. Humans need to evolve to combat them.
But we like quick answers to our problems, so we'll spend tons of money on preventive medicine!

I wouldn't say we've stopped evolving completely.And I agree with a few of you, there are plenty of nasty bacteria and viruses in this world waiting to take us out. Humans need to evolve to combat them. But we like quick answers to our problems, so we'll spend tons of money on preventive medicine!

Actually I take that back. There is a whole group of people that has a gene that causes them to walk through red lights while texting. Hopefully those people will be eliminated over the course of a few generations.

Man I must have missed something interesting on this one.
All you have to do is walk around and interact with people in DC for one day and you will come to the conclusion that humans have stopped evolving.

Man I must have missed something interesting on this one.All you have to do is walk around and interact with people in DC for one day and you will come to the conclusion that humans have stopped evolving.

I agree with hithatsmybike - the "gorillas and chimps could catch up to us" statement is ridiculous. We share a common ancester and are not on the same evolutionary path. I find it frustrating that there are people who still think that scientists believe humans evolved from "gorillas and chimps". It's simply not true.

Gorillas & chimps could "catch up to us"?
wow EPIC FAIL at science.
Humans DID NOT come from chimps. They are not "lesser evolved" humans, we simply share a common ancestor. Saying otherwise is a step back to the 19th century.. but even Darwin didn't believe such ridiculousness.
No humans are not evolving anymore.
But soon the AIDS epidemic will get out of hand or something equally atrocious and it'll knock out enough of the population so we will again.
Evolve or die!

Gorillas & chimps could "catch up to us"?wow EPIC FAIL at science. Humans DID NOT come from chimps. They are not "lesser evolved" humans, we simply share a common ancestor. Saying otherwise is a step back to the 19th century.. but even Darwin didn't believe such ridiculousness. No humans are not evolving anymore.But soon the AIDS epidemic will get out of hand or something equally atrocious and it'll knock out enough of the population so we will again. Evolve or die!

And it was just brought to my attention that "monkey" can be taken as a racial slur. I honestly have never EVER heard that, and when I said it was referring spefically to an actual primate, nothing else. Oh man, I really stepped in it and I am sooooo sorry everyone.

Well given the nature at play I think stopped is an exaggeration change is an integral part of life and life doesn't stop even if the change is only happening on a molecular level. However the presence of daily challenges we would otherwise face with out modern conveniences would present the necessary challenges to spurn evolution in a more obvious manner. Reason would have it that under the circumstances evolution has slowed way way down for modern humans but I'm just not so sure I would say stopped.

I want to apologize to everyone that read that comment. I have a very twisted sense of humor, and while I personally saw nothing wrong with that, I understand that some of you did. I will keep my opinions on the mans looks to myself. His policies, now that's another story.